Your March Madness Preview: Sleepers, Surges & Showdowns

As more news emerges about the WNBA CBA deal, Chantel and Sabreena break down the biggest wins for both sides. Then with March Madness in full swing, they preview the weekend’s biggest matchups, diving into the storylines, potential upsets, and chaos that define the tournament. They break down teams like TCU and West Virginia, examine why South Dakota State could shake up brackets, and debate whether the Big East is deeper than expected—and how that could impact the field. Finally, they wrap things up with ‘Something In Common.’ No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 00:51 What we learned from the new CBA deal 02:40 What’s the biggest win for both sides in the CBA agreement? 05:13 How revenue sharing pays off for everyone 06:26 Why the family benefits are a huge step forward  07:00Why the core designation is a win for the players 10:38 What happens next in the WNBA offseason? 15:19 A tough year for mid-majors 24:19 Examining second-round matchup possibilities Related links and articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7131466/2026/03/19/wnba-cba-labor-agreement-history/ by Chantel Jennings https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7130255/2026/03/19/wnba-free-agents-offseason-cba/ by Sabreena Merchant https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7124595/2026/03/17/womens-ncaa-tournament-power-rankings/ by Eden Laase Check out https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/womens-college-basketball/bracket/ Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS Thumbnail: Sam Hodde / Stringer / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images